An intrauterine device (IUD) is a birth control device, which is placed in the uterus of a woman. IUDs have been known since several decades, and are popularly known as “Copper-T”. IUDs are of different types viz. copper IUD, hormonal IUD, etc. and are available in various shapes, for example T-shaped, and sized to fit inside the uterus of women.
IUDs currently in the market are generally provided with one or more strings extending from the bottom of the IUD. When the IUD is placed in the uterus, the string(s) extend through the cervix and remain positioned in the vaginal cavity, such that a woman can “feel” the presence of string(s) by her finger.
IUD being a foreign matter in the body, there are possibilities that the IUD gets expelled from the uterus/body of the woman. Such expulsion can happen during menstrual cycle for example. Women are advised to “feel” the presence of the string(s) after every menstrual cycle so as to be assured of presence of the contraceptive device. String(s) are also helpful for pulling the IUD out of the uterus when the IUD is required to be removed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,483 describes an intrauterine device having two threads, a locator thread and a reserve thread. If women do not find the string, it makes them anxious that IUD has possibly got expelled and they are without protection.
Besides IUD getting expelled, there are many possible reasons for string not in place. One of the reasons that has lately come to the knowledge is that strings are not in place although the IUD is in situ; because—the strings are curled up and retracted into the endocervical canal or uterine cavity. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,372,302 and 4,561,433 recognize this problem and describe instruments for retrieval of the retracted threads or strings of the IUD. These patents, however, do not address the cause and solution of the problem of curling/retracting.
Patent Publication Number EP0179518A1 describes an IUD extractor thread where an IUD is provided with an extractor thread and such thread is coated with metallic silver which helps in preventing the bacteriological infections which occur due to the normal threads of IUD. Although this invention deals with the IUD threads, but does not address curling.
Patent Publication Number U.S. 20110247630 describes an intrauterine device with string divided into upper, intermediate and lower portion. The upper portion is configured to attach to the stem of IUD. Intermediate portion runs through the endocervical canal and the lower portion follows the contour of the cervix. The disclosure is silent about string curling. The lower portion comprising a curved portion is configured to follow a contour of the external orifice of the cervix; and therefore, this method may prevent up curling of string, however, the procedure is painful, complex and intervening with active life of the women and her partner; and therefore is impractical.
One of the common ways to attach the string to the IUD frame is by having a through-hole at the lower end of the IUD frame and tying the string by way of a knot. Patent application Number U.S. 2013/0298361A1 describes the knotting method. This disclosure is more towards achieving productivity rather than addressing said problem.
As can be easily appreciated, there is no prior invention which addresses the problem related to curling or retraction of knotted strings.
Our invention addresses the cause of curling and or retracting of knotted strings and solves this problem.